This is a compilation of your most Frequently Asked Questions when you contact the School and the programmes. They are organized into seven thematic blocks that refer to the regulations for doctoral studies and the organization of the School itself, and to specific aspects of the different administrative and academic procedures that you must carry out as doctoral students.
What is the EDIUS?
We are the centre that coordinates doctoral studies at the USC, and we are governed by Internal Regime Regulations and by the Doctoral Studies Regulations, both official regulations approved by the Governing Council and available in the archive of the institution's website.
EDIUS>Archive
How can I contact you?
The website and the nEDIUS electronic newsletter are the two official information channels for everything related to your doctoral studies. Now, for specific enquiries, write to the following addresses, depending on the subject:
- For everything related to training activities: edius.formacion [at] usc.es (edius[dot]formacion[at]usc[dot]es)
- For questions related to doctoral theses: edius.teses [at] usc.es (edius[dot]teses[at]usc[dot]es)
- For matters regarding admission and enrolment processes, leaves, dedication, extensions and continuation, email: doutoramento [at] usc.es (doutoramento[at]usc[dot]es)
- Doubts regarding the Research Plan and the annual reports may be sent to: edius [at] usc.es (edius[at]usc[dot]es)
For everything else, send an email to the general EDIUS email: edius [at] usc.es (edius[at]usc[dot]es)
Where can I find updated documentation needed throughout my PhD studies?
All the official administrative and regulatory documentation can be found in the Archive subsection of the website, where you can search by categories or typing keywords in the search box. In the subsection Forms and models you can access all the forms you will need throughout your PhD studies.
EDIUS>Archive
EDIUS>Forms and models
How do I notify incidents regarding my PhD studies?
First, contact your doctoral programme via email.
If you need to file a complaint, you should go to Office for the Analysis of Complaints (In Spanish OAR).
Finally, if you want to present an appeal, you must access the Electronic site.
How can I know the rights and duties of all the people involved in the PhD studies?
In the EDIUS Code of Good Practice, available in the Archive of our institutional website, and in the Documentary Supervision Agreement available in your Virtual Secretary's Office.
EDIUS>Archive
Where can I find the necessary information to carry out the procedures for the first year on your website?
EDIUS>PhD Students>Student monitoring
What is the Documentary Supervision Agreement (CDS in Spanish)
It is a mandatory signature document that includes the agreements to which the parties involved in a PhD thesis abide: doctoral student, supervisor, tutor, and coordinator of the doctoral programme. You have the necessary information in the Monitoring of PhD students section on the institutional website.
EDIUS>PhD Students>Student monitoring
When do I have to submit the Research Plan?
Check the annual calendar for each academic year in the Calendar subsection of our website.
EDIUS>PhD Students>Calendar
What are they?
The EDIUS annually presents a series of activities for all PhD students in order to offer training in the necessary skills for the thesis stage. They are organized thematically, and you can consult the official announcement for the current year in the Training section of the website
EDIUS>Training
How much do they cost?
They are free.
Are they mandatory?
Depending on the program in which you are enrolled, some activities may be mandatory.
You can also consult with your coordinator regarding the training activities that develop the most suitable skills for your profile.
How do I get my certificate?
If you pass the activity both in the evaluation test and follow-up (tasks and 80 % attendance), you will receive a certificate via email.
Where can I find information to carry out the procedures for the thesis deposit on your website?
EDIUS>Thesis>Defense request
What is the deadline to start the process to submit the thesis?
The link is in your Virtual Secretary as Due date, even if said day is a holiday or non-school period. The process can be started using the Electronic Office.
Do I have to renew the registration to be able to submit the thesis?
Only if you start the process of submitting the thesis after August 31.
If the title of the thesis does not coincide with that of the Research Plan, how can I change it?
Before starting the process of submitting the thesis, access the Virtual Secretary Office and there you can modify your Research Plan to record the new title. This modification must be approved by the Academic Committee of your Doctoral Programme (CAPD in Spanish).
Remember: The language of the research plan must be the same as the language of the thesis paper.
Should I always include an abstract written in Galician in the thesis paper?
No, only when the thesis is written in a language other than Galician or Spanish. In that case, the abstract must not have less than 3,000 words.
Where can I find information regarding the defence modalities for the thesis?
EDIUS>Thesis>Types of thesis
What documentation must I submit to defend my thesis?
It is listed in the checklist. You may find the required forms and models in our website.
EDIUS>Forms and models
When do I send the electronic copy of the thesis?
The program will ask you to submit the electronic version of your thesis in a PDF without signatures or password protection.
In the case of theses submitted as a compendium of publications and theses with copyright protection, you must submit two PDF files. You can find information regarding this in the subsection Types of thesis.
EDIUS>Thesis>Types of thesis
Where can I find information regarding the beginning of the period to present the thesis publicly?
Via an email sent by the EDIUS. The date for the thesis deposit will be based on the date on which the CAPD sends its report to the EDIUS.
During which meeting of the Examination Committee will my thesis be discussed?
The theses will be discussed during the first meeting of the EDIUS Examination Committee after the end of the public display period (10 days).
If the last day of the public display coincides with the date of the meeting, the thesis will be discussed during the following meeting.
Can the School ask me to submit a new PDF file with revisions?
After the Committee meeting, if modifications are required, you will receive an email requesting you to resubmit the PDF file with the indicated modifications or to clarify any information about the content of the thesis.
Unless explicitly requested in the email, the new document will not be discussed in a new meeting, but will be reviewed by the members of the Committee to verify that the requested modifications were made.
How will I be notified if my thesis has been authorised by the EDIUS Executive Committee?
You will receive an email notifying the appointment of the Executive Committee and the authorization of the defence. In that email, and in the documents attached, you will have all the information about the following steps for the procedure: payment of fees, Teseo file, communication to the School of the date of the defence and where to find necessary information for each matter.
What types of public defences are accepted at USC?
At the USC, thesis defences may be held face-to-face or using telematics (blended or online defence).
EDIUS>Thesis>Defence Modalities
Do I need to submit my thesis to the USC even if I am going to defend it at another University by cotutelle?
Yes. You must deposit your thesis, whether you are going to defend it by cotutelle at the USC or at another University.
How can I prepare the presentation of my thesis for the defence?
There is no stipulated duration for the act, although 50 minutes or an hour are usually granted. However, the chair of the examining committee will indicate the duration of your presentation the day of the defence act.
How do I know my thesis mark?
The Academic Management Service will notify the mark to you via email, and once this information is received, you must deposit the certification and pay the relevant fees.
How do I know if I have to submit documents electronically?
On our website you will find information on which procedures require electronic submission and, if applicable, a link to the form created by the school for specific procedures (submission of the thesis, application for extraordinary doctoral awards...).
Can I send documents to the electronic office at any time?
The electronic office operates 24/7 all year. For example, if the due date to start the thesis presentation process ends on a Sunday, that day will be the last day to do so. At the school, we will process your request the Monday after.
What do I do if I have a problem submitting an application in the electronic office?
In that case, you will have to send an email to the USC computer services: cau [at] usc.es (cau[at]usc[dot]es) describing the problem. We recommend you to send screenshots in order to provide more information.
In EDIUS we recommend that you send us a copy of that email so that we are aware of the incident, especially if a due term ends.
Can I carry out procedures in the electronic office any day of the year?
Yes, but those carried out on a non-working day (see here) in the electronic office will count as carried out on the following working day.
What regulates the calculation of deadlines in the Electronic Office for any administrative procedure of the School?
Article 31.2 of the Law 39/2015, of October 1st, of the Common Administrative Procedure of the Public Administrations, indicates the following regarding the calculation of deadlines in the records: “2. The electronic registration of each Administrative office or Organisation will follow, for the purposes of calculating the deadlines, the official date and time of the electronic office, which must have the necessary security measures to guarantee its integrity and be accessible and visible”. For all this, the time slot for calculating deadlines at the University of Santiago de Compostela is the Spanish peninsular time.
In addition, the Resolution of August 3, 2021, which governs the publication of the Regulation of digital transformation, electronic administration and development of information and communication technologies of the USC, states the following information in article 17.1: “1. The electronic registration of the USC makes it possible to present letters, requests and communications 24/7 all year round; however, certain forms will only be available within the periods indicated in the corresponding call”.